8 COOK’S COUNTRY • APRIL/MAY 2019
Photos:^©^ABC^ Photo^Archives/Disney^ ABCTelevision^ Group/Getty;^ Gregg^ KoenigWE’VE ALL SEEN the Shake ‘n
Bake box at the grocery store—the one
that promises an extra-crispy, crunchy
pork chop coating in just two simple
steps. I grew up eating chops prepared
with this product (just seasoned crumbs
and a bag), and some in my extended
family still enjoy it in their weeknight
rotation. I recently revisited it and was
disappointed to fi nd that the coating
tasted stale and baked up a little soggy.
The truth is that it’s diffi cult to get
ultracrunchy chops in the oven because
the baking sheet never gets ripping hot
and doesn’t hold as much fat as a skillet
does. The stovetop was the only way
to go. I gathered a handful of recipes
for pan-fried spiced chops and got to
work in the test kitchen. As it turned
out, none delivered juicy chops and a
potently spiced, crunchy coating. I’d
have to start from scratch.
I began with the pork, choosing four
good-size bone-in rib chops. I could
have used boneless chops here, but
the bone makes for a classic presenta-
tion and helps keep the meat moist.
Chops that measured ½ inch thick
were substantial yet thin enough to
cook quickly so the crumbs wouldn’t
burn. I fi gured a standard three-part
bound breading of fl our, beaten egg,
and seasoned bread crumbs was the
way to go, and my tests confi rmed it.
Panko crumbs won out over fresh and
store-bought bread crumbs by virtue of
their big crunch.
After playing around with diff er-
ent pans and amounts of oil, I found
that cooking two chops at a time in
a 12-inch nonstick skillet in 1 cup of
vegetable oil was the best path to suc-
cess; the ample oil and lack of crowding
ensured that the chops picked up plenty
of fl avorful browning and stayed crisp
on the plate. (With any less oil, the
chops didn’t brown on the sides.)
But what about the spices? I tried
adding every spice under the sun to the
fl our, egg, and panko and landed on a
simple combination of fragrant ground
coriander, kicky cayenne, and bold dry
mustard stirred into just the panko.
This mix of spices provided deep fl avor
and a pleasant jolt of heat.
These crunchy, juicy, perfectly
spiced pork chops were so good that
I know I’ll never reach for that boxed
stuff again.Spiced Pork Chops
Boring chops can make weeknight dinners a drag.
We set out to create an easy recipe for juicy chops
with serious punch—and crunch. by Ashley Moore
SPICED CRUNCHY PORK CHOPS
Serves 4
Use pork chops that measure no more
than ½ inch thick in this recipe to
ensure that the meat cooks through
before the breading begins to burn.
If you can fi nd only chops that are
slightly thicker than ½ inch, gently
pound the meat thin with a meat
pounder, taking care not to crush the
bones. Using two spatulas rather than
tongs to fl ip the chops helps the coat-
ing stay intact.4 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in pork rib
chops, ½ inch thick, trimmed
¾ cup all-purpose fl our
3 large eggs
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup vegetable oil, for frying
Lemon wedges- Set wire rack in rimmed baking
sheet and line half of rack with triple
layer of paper towels. Pat chops dry
with separate paper towels. - Place fl our in shallow dish. Lightly
beat eggs in second shallow dish.
Combine panko, salt, pepper, cori-
ander, mustard, and cayenne in third
shallow dish. - Working with 1 chop at a time,
dredge chops in fl our, shaking off
excess; dip in eggs, allowing excess to
drip off ; then coat with panko mixture,
pressing gently to adhere. Transfer
chops to large plate. - Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick
skillet over medium-high heat to
350 degrees. Add 2 chops and cook
until golden brown on fi rst side, 2 to
3 minutes. (Adjust burner, if neces-
sary, to maintain oil temperature
between 325 and 350 degrees.) Using
2 spatulas, gently fl ip chops; continue
to cook until golden brown on second
side and meat registers 140 degrees,
2 to 3 minutes longer. - Transfer chops to paper towel–lined
side of prepared wire rack and let drain
for 15 seconds on each side, then move
to unlined side of rack. Return oil to
350 degrees and repeat with remaining
2 chops. Serve with lemon wedges.
Shake ‘n Bake seasoned coating mixes were
originally introduced in 1965 by the General
Foods Corporation as an easier alternative
to fried chicken or fried pork chops. The
original advertisements were staples during
daytime television programs such as The
Price Is Right and General Hospital; they
featured child actors delivering the line, “And
I helped!” Starting in the 1980s, the Shake ‘n
Bake spokesperson was Ann B. Davis, who
played Alice on The Brady Bunch, perhaps
the most well-known fi ctional home cook in
pop culture at the time.
THE
AMERICAN
TABLE
A deeply seasoned panko
coating provides big flavor
and satisfying crunch.